Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
The door to the bedroom bursts open and a deep voice says, “Are you all right?”
I rip the pillow away only to stare at Ryder.
His brows are raised, and concern is etched across his face. His gaze darts around the room as if looking for the cause of my anguish. When he doesn’t find a culprit, his eyes resettle on me, and his frown deepens.
Great. He probably thinks I’m losing it.
And maybe I am.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry,” I mutter, feeling like an idiot. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
He shifts his big body in the doorway, looking distinctly uncomfortable as if only now realizing I’m in emotional distress. “You didn’t.” He jerks a thumb over his shoulder. “Juliette’s taking a shower. Otherwise, she’d be here.”
In an attempt to lighten the atmosphere, I arch a brow. “And you’re not in there with her?”
That question is all it takes for a slow smile to spread across his face. “I was.”
“From the sounds of it, you kept her up all night,” I grumble.
He shrugs. “Guilty as charged.”
“Kind of seems like I’m the one who should invest in noise cancelling headphones, don’t you think?”
“I can loan you a pair if you need them.”
I roll my eyes. “All I have to say is that you two are disgustingly happy together.”
“Thanks.”
My expression softens as I add, “It’s nice to see. That girl is finally coming out of her shell and enjoying herself instead of spending every waking moment with her nose buried in a book. I’m surprised she made it to senior year without a total mental breakdown.”
He sobers before leaning against the doorjamb and crossing his brawny arms against his chest. “Juliette has always been driven. Even before Natalie was diagnosed with cancer.”
My voice softens at that reminder. “I’ve been trying for three years to get her to loosen her grip and she didn’t want to hear it. You’re the one who helped her do that.” My lips lift into a smile. “You’ve been good for her.”
Mirth dances in his blue eyes. “Thanks, Carina. That just might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
He’s probably right about that.
“Don’t get used to it.”
“I wouldn’t even think about it.” There’s a moment of silence. “So…is screaming into your pillow a normal thing for you? Are you releasing toxins from your body or something like that?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
He shifts before glancing away and clearing his throat. “Is there, um, anything you want to talk about?” His voice turns hesitant. Halting.
I blink and stare until his gaze finally returns to mine. “Are we really doing this right now?”
One side of his mouth hitches. “Sure. Why not? I assume this has to do with Ford.”
“Why would you think that?” I shoot back instead of pulling up my big girl panties and admitting the truth.
He pops a brow. “Because I have eyes, and I tend to use them. For as long as I’ve known you guys, something’s been going on between you two. It was only a matter of time before it came to a head. Hell, I’m surprised it took this long.”
Air leaks from my lungs as his comments circle through my brain. “The situation is…complicated.”
“Maybe you haven’t noticed but life is complicated.”
True enough.
When I remain silent, unsure if I want to delve into this with him, he says, “Have you talked to Ford about it like the mature adult you are?”
Ouch.
“Kind of.” I gnaw my lower lip before forcing out the rest. “We decided it would be best to stop seeing each other.”
“Really? That’s a surprise. Is Ford the one who came to that decision?” There’s a meaningful pause. “Or did you?”
It doesn’t take long before I’m squirming beneath the intensity of his stare. “It was me.”
He searches my face for a long moment, almost as if trying to pick through my private thoughts. I don’t like it. “I don’t know what to tell you, Carina. Most people who are happy with their life choices don’t shove pillows over their faces and scream.”
Sheesh. The guy just got into a relationship and suddenly he’s a world-renowned authority doling out advice?
“Like I said, it’s complicated. Did Ford mention that our parents are getting remarried? Or that us being together could be an issue with Crawford’s bid for re-election?”
Even though those are two solid reasons for pulling the plug, I don’t mention the other one.
The one that bothers me most.
He shakes his head. “No, he hasn’t said much of anything lately. The guy is moping around the apartment and being a real downer. And he’s total shit on the ice. If he doesn’t get his head out of his ass, he’ll be riding the pine for the foreseeable future.”
My heart clenches.
I hate that he’s been hurt in all this.
More than that, I hate that I’m the one who inflicted the pain.